Did you know as a Veteran or Surviving Spouse you may be eligible to receive between $1,149 and $2,120 per month of home care service benefits with zero cost to you!

If there’s a group of citizens that deserve every ounce of help, respect, and care from our Government and other citizens, it’s our Service men and women.

The healthcare system is riddled with programs and services many people simply don’t know about. This particular service has NO OUT OF POCKET COSTS to Veterans and their spouses, and is funded 100% by the US Government.

EMPATHY (…the rare ability some humans possess to walk in someone else’s shoes) will always, always be your most effective weapon against the negativity, toxicity, anger, and personal attacks that may come your way from an elderly parent or a loved one you’re caring for.

Over 37 billion hours of care to loved ones were provided in 2013 by family caregivers… an estimated value of $470 billion.

Here’s the thing, of those 37 billion hours of care, almost 100% were provided out of love, necessity and obligation, but none of them had any productivity value, on the contrary. All those hours were taken away from someone else’s job, time with family, and lifestyle in general.

Let’s start with this quick fact, which I find critical in understanding a future that may very well resemble yours.

“When asked if they had a choice in taking on the responsibility to provide care for their loved one, half of caregivers self-reported they had NO choice in taking care of their caregiving responsibilities.”

I don’t believe we grow old …I believe our body does, then it tells our mind we are, and then our spirit believes it, which is totally backwards if you asked me!

Caregivers, more than anyone else, you need to know the following:

Your mind should be calling the shots… not your body. Sure there are things in the physical realm that we don’t do as well as when we were younger… That’s Ok …I can live with that!

What you shouldn’t live with is the defeatist mindset that comes with getting old by saying, I’m too old for this sh**t, or I’m too old to try new things… And I totally hate the saying: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”

Every time I hear that one I feel like shipping that person to a nursing home in Siberia myself!

Check these extreme seniors out!

Sydney Frank created Grey Goose Vodka at 74

Doris Self. At 81 years old, at the Twin Galaxies 1984 Video Game Masters Tournament, Doris was able to clench a world record with 1,112,300 points on Twin Galaxies’ Tournament Settings (TGTS) — which is the most difficult settings in the game.

96 year old Mohr Keet…but he still took the plunge and entered the Guinness world record as the oldest bungee jumper ever. As if that’s not enough, Mohr jumped from South Africa’s Western Cape which is a 708ft drop!

Dorothy Davenhill Hirsch of 89 years and 109 days visited the north pole while aboard the Russian Nuclear Ice Breaker Yamal.

Smoky Dawson, was an Australian country music performer who at the age 92 years and 156 days released a collection of original songs in an album entitled “Homestead of My Dreams” making him the oldest person to release a new album.

There are 20 more examples you can read about …check out their stories here!

Yes you feel freaking old, everyone’s getting old everyday, and on top of that you care for someone who’s very sick and needs you everyday …that’s life, but you got A LOT still left to do…

Pick a goal, summit a mountain somewhere, hike a trail, swim a channel, bike across states, start a business …I don’t know what floats your boat …BUT YOU ARE NOT DEAD YET!

If you liked this piece, I would really appreciate if you shared it …Thank You!

–Claudio Alegre is the Chief Content Writer for Angel Home Care Services on the Web and Patient and Family Relations Advocate off the Web. He lives in Miami with his wife and 3 boys.

As with most things in caregiving, urgent communication, action, and transparency is pretty much 50% of the battle my friends.

It’s important to remain cool, calm, and collected. Even if you are upset and frustrated to no end because you are the one brother or sister who’s been bearing the brunt of your parent’s care, here’s what I have to say to you!

You are not doing it to expect gratitude or praise from anyone else, you are not doing because there’s such a thing a cosmic karma, or even because through a family agreement you are actually being paid for it, if that were an option…

You are doing it because it’s your Mom or Dad, and it’s the right thing to do!

So drop the anger, self-pity, need for recognition, and the lonesome hero act.

Stop asking for help, you don’t need them. They are in denial or not prioritizing the situation, and one day will regret not being part of the most selfless human act possible, taking care of the people who gave them everything. You only get one chance in life to repay back what your parents did for you, and YOU are doing it!

Be proud, not angry…

Here’s another reason you don’t need them: You are a caregiving ninja!

2. You will also contact your local senior help groups and get some respite through the Local Elder Companion volunteers and who knows you may even create your own local support group with other family caregivers not getting help from their siblings either!

3. You will go to this caregiving support resources post written by the head of all-time caregiving Super Ninjas, Maria de los Angeles, and read it to learn even more ways to surround yourself with the right people and build your caregiving team.

You will find a way, you will get it done, and you’ll be a better person, son/daughter for it.

HAVING SAID THAT…!

Don’t give up on your siblings so easy. Even if they give you the 4 more popular excuses to not help:

I don’t have time

I don’t have money

I can’t bear to watch Mom/Dad that way

I live too far

Even with these excuses, keep trying, any little help is good for everyone. Open new lines of communication, get the family together in a light and easy going atmosphere and bring up the topic as natural conversation.

In the end they will thank you for pushing hard and not giving up on getting them involved. No one said doing the right thing was going to be easy!

Even then, you’ll know when to fight and when to let go. One thing’s for sure …you don’t need anyone’s permission to do the right thing!

–Claudio Alegre is the Chief Content Writer for Angel Home Care Services on the Web and Patient and Family Relations Advocate off the Web. He lives in Miami with his wife and 3 boys.